Author navabruzzo

Back on Track

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Restrictions are slowly easing here in Italy. There are more smiles to be seen around town and folks are getting outdoors, finally! It doesn’t mean we can recommence hugging and kissing all our relatives and friends, but at least we can visit. A weight is lifting off our hearts and shoulders.

A few days before Phase 2 (as it’s called here..coming out of lockdown of 8 weeks), I was chomping at the bit to get hiking. That’s all I could think about! My pack was loaded, clothes and boots ready, food planned. What a mess I was. John was almost as eager, and when May 4 arrived, we headed to the top of the mountain behind Roccaspinalveti to the wind turbines. The weather was outstanding. The sky must have gotten bluer during the 8 weeks and the turbines had to be whiter. Truly!

We’ve been crazy to get outside this spring, not only because of the long lockdown, but the weather this year has been gorgeous; somewhat dry for agriculture but for hiking and trekking, just perfect. So now, each week we head out to do a circuit around a local town, using the Valle del Triste trail system. A great local organization out of Palmoli that has spent numerous hours and hard labor (of love) to put this project into motion. You can download their map that shows all the interconnecting trails. They are well-marked with wooden arrows and red & white paint. We’ve walked where ancient cultures tred and we’re awed..

The past few weeks, we’ve done circuits around the stunning town of San Buono and also the medieval town of Furci, all just about 20 minutes or so from our house. And just a couple of days ago, we hiked around Liscia. Here are a few pics from those circuits. I am in my happy place.

Being outside is something both John and I have always loved, whether together or separately. We spent many years out in the wood while we lived in the US; I with search and rescue and John as an avid hunter. Being here in the Frentani Mountains, we are mesmerized daily by the big sky…the wide open vistas. But a confession… not only do we like to get outside, but John and I are gear junkies.. My issue is collecting backpacks and John loves hiking clothes and boots. We’ve tried to tame it down a bit now that we’re retired, but with sites like TrekkInn and Decathlon (as well as a store opening up only 40 minutes from us!), we have to slap our hands a lot when we even think of adding something to the ‘cart’. But truthfully, we are also preparing for some longer hikes here in Abruzzo – this August a 7 day hike (100 km) – Il Cammino dei Briganti. We’re passing on camping out in tents and going for staying in hostels and B&Bs. This first cammino will be with a tour group (Appennino Slow) and well-known and loved mountain guide, Ercole Wild of Montagne Selvagge. Next year, our plans are for a longer cammino, 16 days 316 km , Cammino Di San Tommaso. This one we plan to do on our own and possibly lengthen the time to finish by visiting some of the towns along the way for an extra night or two. Will keep you posted on both these hikes.

My latest acquisition and my new Go To backpack. Just love this one! As I am no longer carrying all my dog’s water for search and rescue, I can go with a small pack and much lighter weight . This one is a dream on my back and shoulders and only partially filled at the moment.
And John couldn’t resist these crossover trail runners low hikers from Salomon. TrekkInn will be the demise of our bank account! LOL

Apart from getting out into the woods and mountains, we’ve been setting up our holiday rental for this season. The restrictions should lift this June 3, allowing people to visit from not only other regions of Italy, but from the rest of Europe. I unpacked all the linens, blankets and soft goods that had stayed clean and safe in plastic containers and bags over the winter, and we are open for business this June 1. As we are all trying to do the best for our guests in regards to safety and cleanliness, we have added a self check-in key lock-box, check-in instructions and disinfecting protocol. We’re resigned to the fact that this season will be quiet at best but we have big hopes for 2021. Still we’ve added some improvements both inside and out.

Also keeping me busy have been my Italian lessons. The past year or so, John and I have been enrolled in online courses ‘From Zero to Italian’ with Manu of www.italymadeeasy.com. Many folks have asked me what program I use. I’ve tried a number of online free language portals, private lessons, Italian government lessons, phone apps and I have to say, apart from living in a town where 98% of the populous speaks dialect or Italian and we get Italian ‘lessons’ on the fly, Manu’s style of teaching works for me! You can check out some of his free videos, etc. to get a feel for his teaching style. When I signed up, I decided to start back at the basic beginners and it has been invaluable to me.The courses are at ones’ own pace, which works well for me at this time of my life. And thankfully, I just passed my second course’s final exam and I’m moving up a level!

So apart from not being able to have big family and friends gathering, hugging, kissing and the such with them as well, we feel we are back on track in our lives. Following the rules means wearing a mask when in close proximity to others and distancing oneself as well. Restaurants are doing takeout and the two here in Rocca are reopening with spaced seating. But all in all we feel blessed and very thankful.

As always, I’d like to leave you with something beautiful ….. here in Roccaspinalveti. Please take good care of you and your family and we wish you all good health!

Time Stands Still

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How do I even start this post? Such a mix of thoughts and feelings….We are safe at the moment and healthy. We thank so many friends from the US and elsewhere who have reached out to us, sending prayers, positive thoughts and messages. And it is our fervent prayer that you are all safe and healthy as well.

But if not only safe and healthy, what will become of us during this time? We are not on the front-lines, as so many are; medical staff, volunteers, police, and more, pouring out their dedication and risking their lives every day to save others. The numbers of cases are real here in Italy. No matter what others may wish to discount for whatever reason, most of what you have been reading on the internet about these tragic times here are real. I would like to share our personal experiences during this sad, tragic but reflective time.

For John and I, living in our very quiet village here in the Frentani Mountains of southern Abruzzo… central Italy, we do not have firsthand experience with the human life tragedy that has been unfolding in the northern part of our country. We track the news and escalating numbers of positive cases and deaths through government and news sites. There are many cases in our region and one case has been documented here in Roccaspinalveti. Hopefully that person is on the mend and his family is also well. But mostly, we are only directly affected by the quarantine decrees and the unsettling feeling that we, too, will have neighbors, friends and ourselves physically affected by the virus.

So, what are we actually doing and what is required of us. It is the same throughout Italy now and we all must follow these decrees. Self-isolation is the only way to get the numbers down. The decrees do get updated frequently as this world event is shifting. Right now, we are all home isolated. We stay at our home and property unless we need groceries, medical attention or prescriptions. Only one person per family may drive up to town center to buy necessities. The shops here are very small, so for most, it’s just one person in the shop at a time and the rest must queue outside. Leaving the municipality of Rocca requires pretty much an emergency.

Gloves and masks are the norm for everyone in town and we must stand at least one meter from the other person. Even when the neighborhood vendors make their stops, everyone should be wearing gloves and masks… hopefully.

For me personally, it’s not a difficult stretch to stay at home…..except for my daily hike or trek. (Believe me, I’m going nuts without them.) I’m somewhat of a loner, though living here in gregarious Italy has helped me come out of the ‘woods’ so to speak. I actually have some friends that aren’t dog people. Pre-virus, you would find me most days, taking a trek around the area or a hike up a mountain, sometimes with John or a friend, but mostly by myself. It has always been a way for me to center my self, flush out any toxic thoughts and reset myself. Otherwise I’m at home. Well, not exactly. We do like to sight-see and we love to eat out, especially at our favorite local trattoria, but sadly all restaurants and bars are closed with the restrictions and drives around on hold.

So now we’re in ‘virus time’…. I’m a voracious reader since childhood. Gosh, is my life all about escapism? 😉 So I read a few books at the same time, juggling true or fictional crime with some lighter fare. Since I grew up in an Italian-American family with the nap tradition firmly in place, it was an easy transition to life here. And now that we have a lot of ‘down time’, naps are a shoo-in…. right after lunch. And you can be certain that Romeo reminds me that it is time…

No walks are allowed except just a few hundred meters and back to your house. Only if your health absolutely requires it. I guess I could make a plea for mental health, but really??? So thankfully, we have a large yard, good size fenced courtyard and outside steps! Yes, steps… I run up and down them a few times a week to get the endorphins pumping. It helps.

Romeo and I will head out to the backyard for some playtime and again, some time to clear the head and get some much-needed Vitamin D. With most people obeying the self-isolation restrictions, the wild animals are starting to emerge from their cover and enter more urban areas. I did see a wild boar in broad daylight in our olive grove a few weeks back and then just this morning! Normally, they are nocturnal in our area. And my friend up the road saw a wolf traipsing down the street …. again broad daylight.

Romeo loving the snow.. of course.. he’s a Labrador

John has been working on some ‘honey-do’ projects around the house, as well as splitting firewood for our kitchen fireplace. He also has been cooking some delicious dishes, but I only indulge on the weekends. 😉 Are we getting on each other nerves? You bet!! Normal.. I would think for many couples. So we take a timeout from each other and find a quiet place inside or outside to decompress. Thankfully, Romeo doesn’t like a lot of drama in the house, so we try to behave because of him.

Can you smell the toast cooking in butter?

Am I scared or worried? Of course. I worry for myself, John, family and friends. But then I have to remind myself that worry is useless. It can change nothing. All we can do is following the regulations, enjoy some home-centered activities, take supplements, eat healthy, exercise, video chat with family and friends and pray a lot.

A friend of mine from the UK came over to her holiday home here in Rocca, just before the lockdown. Little did she know that she would not be returning home anytime soon. Her husband had to work and couldn’t take the ‘vacation’ with her. She is alone in her home here, unable to visit anyone. Tough times but she is making the best of it.

We were supposed to visit the US to see family and friends. Obviously, that got postponed. We have no idea if we will be able to get back there anytime soon. Very sad but thankful for video chats… But it is not even close to hugging your daughter in person. We also had a large family meal planned with my cousins in San Salvo. That has been postponed until….? Difficult times, but we are the lucky ones right now. So many families have lost loved ones throughout the country .

We’re trying to stay upbeat, laugh at each other, play outside as being indoors is definitely rough on mind and body, and we make certain Romeo gets exercise each day. And below… John always remains silly… Good for him!

Earlier in this post, I mentioned that it was a reflective time. As hiking is on hold for a while, I find myself at the rear of our home most days. Here there are views that are calming and reassuring. I can push the worries away, pray some and just be infinitely thankful for what John and I have at this moment. Here are a few moments from this morning, pre-dawn after a spring snow. Thank you again for reaching out to us over that past few weeks. It means the world to John and I, and Romeo thanks you as well.

Stay calm, stay home, stay healthy. Enjoy this time with yourselves and with your family. The world will definitely be different when it heals and this all passes. We will most likely be a little different as well. Sending love from Italy… John and Helene

Treasures

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People are treasures, giving freely of their gifts, thus our lives, in turn, are enriched and blessed. I would like to highlight a few artists and artisans of Roccaspinalveti. They make a daily impact on the lives here and I hope, someday, on yours as well. There are also artists that go unsung, as their visibility is minimal and their talents are only well-known to the locals. It is my desire to incorporate them in some of my future postings.

If you know me, you know that I love to share everything that Roccaspinalveti has to offer and it is my hope and dream that you will make this wonderful place a ‘must see’ stop on your next vacation to Italy.

Roccaspinalveti

ZENò’R

Just a few minutes walk from our house is the print and graphic design studio ZENò’R of Luca Bruno and Lucrezia Lalli. Together they have a workshop centered around screen printing, xylography (woodcut), engraving and restorations. We met both these wonderful folks when we moved to Rocca back in August of 2018. They are extremely talented but also very down-to-earth. There are some insightful quotes from Luca below, as well as a link to their bios and information on their workshops. Contact Luca if you wish to discuss customizing instruction or wish to reserve your spot in a one or two-day workshop. Not to be missed!

Before a printer I am a graphic designer, so I always try to put my own work into what I do. The idea ​​was born in the winter of 2014, my last period in Bologna, when I always looked for more to define in my mind the project that then came to life shortly after my graduation (March 2014) by investing gift money from my grandparents by buying a bromograph (is a device which allows printing by negative photographic contact on sensitive paper) and a few frames. My grandfather passed away from there little for which I chose to give the name “Zenò’R” to my project which is the family name of my maternal family.

We deal with dexterity in all its aspects from the artisan to the artistic one. We intend to create opportunity to practice, to deepen and to face new and traditional techniques as well as collect and exchange information so that the laboratory can become a meeting place, communication and knowledge. We intend to defend the artisan culture, because we believe it is important for us and for the future generations, being able to continue to draw on a wealth of enormous resources guarded precisely by those professions that disappear from day to day under our eyes. The goal is to respond to the increasingly widespread need to rediscover the ability to do things, directly with one’s own hands, through the knowledge of materials and techniques.

Luca Bruno

Trattoria La Fonte

Just about across the street from the studio of Luca and Lucrezia, is our wonderful local Abruzzesse restaurant, Trattoria La Fonte….just a 3 minute walk from our home! Family owned and absolutely the most delicious food at humble Abruzzo prices.

All dishes are made by hand with typical local products, including a wide assortment of pastas, sauces, meats, vegetables and of course delicious desserts. They also serve outstanding woodfired pizzas on Friday through Sunday. Here at the trattoria, you can taste and savor the typical Abruzzese dishes of the area, specifically of Rocca. And they are very willing to be creative with American dishes, such as hamburgers and main salad dishes! 😉

Rina and daughter, Angelica, along with the entire family, do the cooking and manage daily operations of the restaurant.  In 1982, Rina opened Trattoria La Fonte, here in Serre, one of the lovely fraziones (neighborhoods) of Roccaspinalveti. After studying at the State Institute of Art in Vasto, Angelica joined her mother in 2006 at the trattoria. At age 40, Angelica has been working with her mother for the past 13 years.  Together they manage the business, serving from a full menu as well as offering special dishes.

Along with regular service at the Trattoria, Rina and Angelica host many a party and holiday meals. Just recently, they offered cooking classes to be held at Casa Serre Holiday Apartment in Serre. You can find information on the cooking classes here. We hope you not only consider a class, but most definitely make time in your visit for a meal at Trattoria La Fonte. Always fun and delicious!

-We participated in a cooking class with the wonderful ladies from La Fonte restaurant. It was held in the sunny kitchen of Casa Serre with fantastic views of the surrounding area. We made two types of traditional pasta, two different sauces, and a delicious chocolate cake. It was great to have a hands-on experience and to learn how the dishes have been prepared for decades. It was even better to enjoy our delicious hand made food with a glass of wine! Grazie mille!

Google review

Ventricina & Dintorni

In the center of town is located the laboratory of nationally acclaimed Michele Piccirilli of Ventricina & Dintorni, a relatively new business started in 2011 by Michele. As we have enjoyed their delicious meats since we first moved here, we recently had the opportunity to visit the laboratory. Along side Michele, are his lovely wife, Stefania, and his father, Guiseppe. We had the chance to not only observe the cuts of meat being prepared, but the process of making a few different types of pork sausages; soppressata (salt & black pepper only), stagionata (added pulverized red pepper) and fegato (added orange zest and garlic). Truly fascinating and we will be enjoying some sausage this weekend. 😉

The ‘Ventricina variety del Vastese’ is a sausage typical of the area in the province of Chieti bounded by the rivers Trigno and Sinello, straddling Abruzzo and Molise. It is the salami of friendship: traditionally it is eaten in company or on important occasions. It owes its red color to the pepper powder, while name and shape derive from the use of the pig’s stomach for the bag.

The secret of success lies in passion and dynamism, but also in factors such as the great knowledge of the product, the breeding of pigs, The careful choice of raw materials, the naturalness of production processes, optimal climatic conditions, the refusal of additives and preservatives, the connection with the territory and its traditions, the mastery of technical skills and the hygienic-sanitary norms.

Michele Piccirilli

These delicacies are for sale in-shop in Roccaspinalveti,and in some gourmet shops (list on the site) and also on line from the site http://www.ventricinaedintorni.it. The company also produces splendid gift-wrapping with salami and other delicacies of the best local and regional producers. Tours and tastings are available. For details, click here and don’t miss this delicious and interesting experience.

L’Azienda Agricola  ‘Lo Zafferano

Just a short way out of the center of Roccaspinalveti, in the frazione Quercialtieri, is the peaceful and productive saffron farm, L’Azienda Agricola  ‘Lo Zafferano, of Antonella Fabiano & Luigi Suriano and their family.  Abruzzo has been called the land of yellow gold, the precious and fragrant saffron which in addition to flavoring foods, also has significant healing properties. Here, tucked away on this lovely farm, is the chance to experience something very magical.

L’Azienda Agricola  ‘Lo Zafferano’  is a small reality born in Roccaspinalveti only in 2016, even if the cultivation of the precious spice has been taking place for many years, for personal passion and for family use. At some point in our lives we decided to introduce our passion and our wonderful product to the public.

The cultivation and subsequent processing of saffron takes place exclusively by hand as required by the ancient tradition and this also explains the high cost of the product. To obtain 1 gram of saffron, it is necessary to collect about 150 flowers and then 450 pistils (in fact, each flower has only three pistils). Saffron is a wonderful spice that gives a lot of satisfaction but requires a lot of sacrifice and commitment.

Antonella Fabiano & Luigi Suriano

Tours are offered during the summer and fall harvest months. Click here for details and contact information. What an unique opportunity!

People…… good people with a vision, talent and drive to make a dream come true. We hope these few vignettes inspire you to make Roccaspinalveti your next destination. There is so much to experience here in our ‘not so quiet’ mountain town. 😉

We will catch up with you soon as we head off to Virginia to visit family and friends. It’s been way too long since we’ve seen them! Best to you all and ciao for now…

High above Roccaspinalveti

Winter Wellness

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January has been a month full of medical appointments and emergencies. It’s not how I envisioned starting out the New Year. We did do a great hike right at the onset of the month, but mostly it’s been a time of necessary health maintenance. As always, what I share is just from my limited personal experiences. Though a few are routine, maybe you’ll glean some helpful information or at least have a laugh or two.

When looking for any kind of medical help, I check recommendations on Google and Facebook, as well as asking some of my local friends. This helped me locate my dentist and Romeo’s veterinarian. But when it comes to using the national healthcare, I may have a local doctor who would be assigned to me or I may be able to choose. When we lived near the much larger city of Atri, there were a half a dozen doctors, and I choose one that was still accepting new patients. Here in Roccaspinalveti, there are two doctors and I like the doctor I chose. He is a man about our age, speaks a little bit of English, has a warm and caring personality and a sense of humor. He also plays Arlo Guthrie & the Rolling Stones in his waiting room! That doesn’t mean I don’t miss my wonderful general practitioner in the US; a doctor with whom I had built a trusting professional relationship over 15 years. It’s okay, though. I am embracing life in Abruzzo and all that entails.

But returning to the present..The office here in Rocca is run like a clinic where no appointments are made. First come first served. There is no receptionist or nurse. There are morning and evening hours. The office here is modern and seems well equipped, but the waiting area is purely functional with chairs against the walls. Not intended for comfort but efficiency. Last year, when I went for my annual flu shot, I tried the morning hours. When I peeked inside the waiting room and saw about 20 people waiting, I balked. Wow, was I really up for that? No, I just didn’t have the mindset,….. yet. Luckily to date, I have not had a lot to talk to the doctor about and I did find that evening hours are thankfully less busy.

In the US, I could see a nurse at our doctor’s office and get a flu shot right then and there. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that the doctor does not stock the flu vaccine. He wrote me a prescription for the vaccine, I walked next door to the local pharmacy to buy it, headed back to the doctor with syringe in hand, waited my turn in line… again, and then received my vaccination.

An interesting note is that pharmacists wield a bit more power here than they do in the US. They can dispense many drugs, that require a prescription back in the States. I am able to buy some antibiotics and my thyroid medication, without visiting the doctor. That is a plus, definitely. On the negative side is that many OTC drugs just aren’t available here, and if they are, they are unobtainable in generic bulk and expensive.

This year, when I went for my flu shot during evening hours, I found out that the pharmacy was out of stock of the vaccine. I had to return in the morning to purchase the just-delivered vaccine and then wait with the 20 other folks during the morning hours to get my vaccination. 1 1/2 hours wait = 2 minutes for office visit. LOL ….thankfully I had an e-book with me. 😉

Next on the have-to-get-over-with list… the ‘dreaded’ dentist.

So something I’ve been putting off for way too many months is getting a replacement crown. It’s not that I haven’t found a great dentist here in Italy, because I have. He is very knowledgeable, up on the latest techniques, gentle and speaks some English. His office staff are welcoming and efficient. And prices seem very reasonable, even though dental procedures are not covered with the National Health plan. So why the hesitation to go to the dentist…. I was just plain nervous… nervous that when he tried to remove a 35 year old crown (!), another tooth would take the brunt of the work or I would need a root canal. Just silly fears…. So 10 months after he recommended that I replace the old crown, which had holes in it, I finally showed up for my appointment. I was a quivering mess, which didn’t bode well for my poor dentist. Per my request, he numbed my mouth and proceeded with care and encouragement, reminding me to breath slowly. It went exceptionally well, I calmed down and I return in a few weeks for the impression to be taken for the new crown. Whew.

A big difference I found between my dentist here in Italy and the dentists back in Virginia, is that x-rays are not taken at the office. He can do digital imaging on his computer, but he sends you to another medical center for full mouth x-rays. Luckily, I had brought a set with me from the US, which were usable. I’m sure next major appointment, I’ll need to bring in a new set.

On to our dear dog, Romeo, and the vet clinic:

Right now, we are in the middle of a mess with Romeo. We’re short on sleep, anxious and stressed. A simple surgery of removing a small mast cell tumor from the inside of his right rear leg has turned into the surgery from Hell. What happened? Very first day back from surgery, he sneaked a lick around his collar of shame and the incision opened a small bit. (Collar immediately got corrected but the damage had been done.) We took him back in the next day to see if re-suturing was necessary. It appeared to be healing but slowly. Ten days into the healing process, he turned suddenly and BAM, pop went all the sutures. It was a bit scary for me and we rushed him ( Sunday emergency) to the clinic. The surgeons applied a different technique and he is now sutured to the max. It will be a few more anxious weeks for recovery.

Dear Romeo slowly recuperating from surgery

We were very happy to have found this vet clinic, even though it is almost an hour from our house. There are a number of surgeons on staff, some speak English, all excellent doctors. They are compassionate and very reassuring, with wonderful ‘bedside’ manner with their patients and humans. Once again, most medications needed are obtained at the local pharmacy with a prescription. The larger pharmacies carry animal-specific medications, which may be expensive. In some cases, the human equivalent is available at a much lower price. Here in Roccaspinalveti, there is usually a day’s wait for some of the dog specific medications to arrive. Sometimes I can wait, other times I have to use a larger pharmacy in either Vasto or San Salvo.

I don’t want you to think that January has only been a month of tedious if not alarming appointments! Yes, it has been and will continue to be those events in life that we’d rather avoid, but we did bring in the New Year with spectacular, challenging hike. This hike was organized and guided by the experienced ‘Majexperience’. This past Fall, we also attended a fun filled day outing with this group. We like their guides and how they plan their excursions. So this time, we headed off to the mountains on New Year’s Day for a hike to a waterfall. Little did we know that the trail, which meandered through a breathtaking gorge, was packed with ice and snow; highly challenging and precarious with just hiking boots.

We completed from trailhead in upper right hand corner to point of falls bottom left. Returned in reverse.
  • Walking in
  • Walking out – only about 2 pm . Footpath and trail in shadows
  • Icy crossing
Cascata di San Giovanni

We were a small group of 6 and one beginner hiker found it a bit more than she bargained for. The waterfall was stunning but we arrived late. Options were given; continue from the falls on to the circuit to finish out the hike or return the shorter distance from the starting point. The circuit was nixed and we returned the short route, understandably.

We enjoyed the walk along the stream, studying the various animal tracks evident in the snow. We learned how to distinguish between wolf and large dog tracks. We also saw caprioli tracks and heard them off in the distance.

In spring, we will return to do this gorgeous gorge and hike the circuit in its entirety. Location: Bocca di Valle Cascata di San Giovanni approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from our home in Roccaspinalveti.

We’re hoping Romeo is all healed up by the end of this month so that in February we can all hike together up the mountain. Until then, we are keeping him quiet as we sit by the fire. Enjoy your winter and we’ll be back soon!

John is all set by the kitchen fire….. Bailey’s in hand 😉

Among The Giants

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When we moved to this area of Abruzzo, we were greatly surprised and encouraged to see so many solar fields and wind farms. The land around us opens up into wide valleys with steep ridge lines, providing many hours of sun as well as stiff winds off the Majella.

My initial belief was that this green power was coming directly into our home from the comune. I had read somewhere that a village was doing just that. What about those power-lines coming from the closest solar field just behind our house? I thought this couldn’t be more perfect. And it wasn’t just me who thought this! Other expats moving to the area also commented on the wonder of their electrical power coming directly from the solar fields and wind farms. Well, the truth is all that green power is going back into the area grid. We are getting it but just not the 100% that I had thought. Yes, I admit, I was seriously naive..or maybe just mistaken. 😉

Wind and solar parks in Italy produced 35 TWh of electricity in the first nine months of 2019, equal to 16.25% of net power production and 14.5% of total demand for the period.

smart-energy.com/renewable-energy/renewables-power-20-of-italys-power-demand-in-2019/

Below is a map of some of the solar fields (blue) and wind farms (pink) that I located within our area of Abruzzo. The red rectangle centered in the photo is the approximate location of our home. Well done, Italy!

The turbines just above Rocca Vecchia are visible from our house as they are for many homes around here. John and I have been talking about hiking this mountain top for some time now. There is an access road that runs the length of the ridge, and numerous wind turbines. We finally headed out one day in early November, hoping for gentle winds and sunny skies..

We parked up the mountain, just below the ancient village. Basically this was going to be a gravel road trek, total about 6+ miles. We would end with a short piece of trail to the castle and back to our car. As we began our hike, the road wrapped behind the mountain, facing the frazione of Acquaviva and the town of Montazzoli. The leaves were changing and the views toward Montazzoli and the Majella were vibrant and stunning. (Just note that you cannot drive behind the mountain on this road. It has washed out and is only passable on foot. )

This part of the hike is relatively flat and relaxing. We passed by a herd of free range cattle and arrived at a barn. Out back was a lone horse, napping in the sun. Numerous trails were etched into the mountainside; a reminder of those days when many herds and flocks roamed freely.

Just a short distance past the barn, we started the switchbacks up to the top. It was a comfortable climb and we were rewarded with amazing views of the towns of Castiglione Messer Marino and Schiavi di Abruzzo, close to the Molise border.

John posed under a turbine, giving a daunting perspective of the size of these giants. But truth be told, even larger ones are now taking the place of many turbines in the area. Where 10 turbines may have existed, far fewer are now needed for greater output.

We continued on the ridge road, stopping frequently for the views. This was a great day to see the distant Tremiti Islands and the Gargano Peninsula from our perch. The wind had picked up by now and threatening clouds moved in, but it never deterred us. The noise level was elevated by the turbines and it presented a slightly unnerving atmosphere. I think I was just overwhelmed by the height and power of these sentinels.

We continued our trek to the end of the gravel maintenance road to a grassy trail that led us to the ancient castle at Rocca Vecchia. Here, we took a short break to enjoy the beautiful old castle and the expansive views to Roccaspinelveti below and the Adriatic Sea on the horizen. We finished our hike heading down the trail to return to our car.

John and I encourage you to do this hike when you come to Roccaspinalveti. We stopped a number of times along the way to take pictures and completed the 6+ miles in about 3 1/2 hours. It is not a hike to do fast, but to take one’s time to enjoy the views and being among these giants.

Christmas season is just about here. I plan to post lots of pictures of the celebrations around town. But until then, wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year!

Family Found

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My very first posting for this blog was about Family… how they can form us, steer us, instill drives and directions. For me it was ‘For the Love of Family’, my Italian family still living in Italy. Some unseen force propelling me to locate them and meet them. And if and when I found them, would they really consider me ‘family’?

My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, came over from Abruzzi (as it was called back in the early 1900’s – now Abruzzo since Molise split off in 1963) to live in Brooklyn with his father, mother and siblings. Did Carlo have any uncles, cousins, siblings who remained in Italy and could I find their descendants, my probable cousins? His town of origin, San Salvo is in southern Abruzzo, just 40 minutes from where John and I now live. Was it our plan to have purchased our home so close to my ancestral town? No, it just happened. How crazy is that?

There are a number of companies here in Italy that will help you locate your relatives. I used Touring Abruzzo and with the wonderful help of Luciana and Alberto, the De Felice tree was fleshed out all the way back to the early 1800s. And Alberto located a few of my cousins alive and well in San Salvo! The next step was a bit precarious and sensitive. How do I approach my living relatives in a manner that isn’t threatening and once I ‘prove’ I am related, will they be as interested in getting to know me as I am wishing to know them?

Touring Abruzzo was able to give me a contact name and number. This person would be one of my cousins (more like a fifth cousin). I wouldn’t say he was particularly warm to me just showing up to meet his grandfather, my third cousin who is in his late 80s. We hemmed and hawed back and forth and a meeting died in the wind. I didn’t know what to do next. Do I enlist an Italian friend to come with me to interpret? Just bang on Michele’s door and introduce myself?

My three cousins, Michele, Paola & Angela De Felice, with Michele’s wife, Adalgisa. I was trying my best not to break out crying from happiness and relief. Cousins Found!

What ensued was serendipitous and I truly believe I was pointed in the right direction at the right time. John and I decided to stroll past my cousin’s house in the historic district of San Salvo. Not sure what we would accomplish but we had a few minutes before we needed to be at an appointment with our insurance agent. We located Michele’s apartment and just sat across the way, trying to decide our next step. Two ladies approached the front door and knocked. While they were standing there, I mustered up some nerve and asked them if they knew Michele. They were his daughters! Unbelievable! I was looking at two of my cousins. A dream realized. I believed both Angela and Paola were equally as excited. Paola located her dad and we had a few wondrous minutes chatting away. Unfortunately our appointment pulled us away, but with promises to be reunited soon.

While I waited to hear back from my cousins, I worked on our family tree. I wanted to bring that, along with some of my family pictures, to our next meeting. I used all the information that Alberto collected along with Familysearch.org, Ancestry.com (and Ancestry.it) and antenati.san.beniculturali.it for my research. As the tree grew in unbelievable proportions, I cut and taped until I had both De Felice lines spread out to show Michele. I felt I had to substantiate my claim as a De Felice. Not that they asked to see this, but I just felt it was a reassuring measure for them to see the actual family connection.

  • My six cousins with spouses – a great day!

You may gather that I was excited when Angela set a date for coffee at her father’s house. It was a grand gathering of SIX of my cousins! How amazing is that! We talked about the family, compared pictures, saw strong family resemblances between our ancestors and enjoyed coffee and sweets. I sit here now with emotions choking me up and a huge smile on my face. There is so much more work I want to do on my family tree, but mostly I just want to enjoy being a part of my Italian family. We are all looking forward to being together over a meal or coffee again soon, both here in Roccaspinalveti as well as in San Salvo.

  • Philippo De Felice, Michele’s father
  • Raffaele De Felice, 1st cousin to my grandfather, Carlo
  • My mom, Helen De Felice
  • De Felice Family Business –
    it was one more tie between my side of the family and Michele’s.
  • My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, and grandmother , Laura
  • My mom
  • My mom and her two sisters, Bessie & Margaret
  • Michele and Adalgisa on their wedding day in San Salvo

I encourage anyone seeking their Italian relatives to not give up. I almost backed out of trying to reach out to them. Would they truly want to know me, to take the time even though my understanding of the Italian language is still somewhat basic? Why would a distant cousin, such as I, be important to them? We are family… we are blood… we are Italian together. It does make a difference, so don’t give up on your dream.

No, I haven’t forgotten my father’s side of that family. The information that I got from my mother, was that they were from Naples. That will be another story to share for the future…. ciao for now..

More Fun, Less Work

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The apartment renovation work is behind us and the hot weather is gone. Time to do some more fun stuff. Why else move to Italy… certainly not do be consumed by projects!

So what am I cooking up for fun? The most obvious are the town festivals. Entertainment is usually free and they are more predominate in summer but are year-round. This past summer, our comune’s calendar was chock-full of music, food, historic and sports events and they continue on into the fall. The venues are usually in our town’s piazza or a street that has been closed for foot traffic only. Food vendors are prominent, and the offerings are so wonderfully delicious. In conjunction with the street food, the local ProLoco group may cook up an amazing array of the area’s typical dishes. Check out below what was cooking here in Rocca! ….. traditional lamb fest, and this tradition has been going on for 43 years here… So we check out the calendar here as well in neighboring towns to make our decisions. 😉

Each year, a day prior to the Lamb Fest, a local hiking guru offers an excursion, usually up the mountain to historic or ecological sites. This year, we were able to join this event with about 30 others. A quick breakfast of the delicious local pastry, Le Scrippelle, was offered. We headed up into the countryside to a local grotto, just underneath the wind farm and Roccavecchia. The weather was iffy, with clouds and fog and the threat of rain, but just as we began the hike, the wind pushed all that away for a glorious day. It was a diverse group of various ages. I think the most memorable part was when some of the group began singing local folk songs as we hiked along. We finished up the day with a delicious group meal and more fantastic folk music at Le Due Querce Ristorante here in Rocca .

A while back in one of my postings, I had mentioned the difficulty I was having finding a place to take Romeo for off-leash walks. In the US, if I went hiking with the dogs, the only true danger would be coming up on a mother bear and her cubs. But if you make enough noise as you move along in the woods, having a bell on your dog and backpack, you normally will not have any issues. Here in Italy, I’m not as comfortable. There is the concern of meeting a herd of wild boar, with some angry males and their maiming tusks. Just not something I’m keen on Romeo running up against. The perfect and obvious solution was to take Romeo up the mountain where we had recently hiked with the group. There I can see for miles to assess if all is safe. Romeo is recovering from a lazy year now that he is back on the trail, and we’re all getting some extra miles in and loving it.

  • Our friend Alex and her dog Jack joined us for a fun morning.
  • The castle of Roccavecchia is directly above Romeo at top.
  • The grotto is located in the large rock outcropping to the left.

So apart from hiking and road trekking, we love to bike. Well, not as much as in our younger years. Many moons ago, we both had road bikes. I can remember putting in some serious mileage back in college. Those days are long gone. Now, we have mountain bikes, but truth be told, we are not into biking the killer climbs at our age. So we dusted off our bikes and headed to the sea. There are some fantastic bike trails throughout Italy and the one along the Adriatic coast is called Il Corridoio Verde Adriatico. We stick with stretches that are relatively flat as we get back into shape.

Last year, when we lived near Silvi Marina, we could bike to the town of Pineto and up towards Roseto d. Abruzzi. Some stretches still go along a busy route 16, but slowly almost the entire coastline will have a beautiful dedicated bike path. Last week, our jaunt was a short one from San Salvo Marina up to Vasto Marina and back. Only about 8 miles, but we could tell that we were seriously out of shape in the comfort department! So we’ll be back each week as we enjoy this great fall weather.

  • Monument of the Bather, Vasto Marina

We have some more fun events planned as well as just sightseeing around the many hilltop villages. I promise to share pictures and also recap John’s application process for his Italian passport.

Normally I leave you with a few stunning panoramas, but this time, instead I’m all about food . We’ve tried a couple new places in the area but always come back to our local favorite, Trattoria La Fonte. Angelica at La Fonte has been creating some awesome salads for me and friends around are now enjoying them as well. Yes, I love to eat… being Italian… but also like to stay in shape. One new restaurant for us is close to the beach in the town of Cupello. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for following…

  • Angelica salad 🙂
  • Serious burger Chalet Cupello
  • Angelica taking La Fonte’s bruschetta to a new level
  • Milkshake and donuts – Chalet Cupello
  • Another amazing La Fonte salad
  • Indulgence…fried
  • Angelica … got to love her! Semifreddo perfection

Out of the Sahara

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This summer, Europe has been experiencing days of dangerously hot weather from the Sahara Desert, with July breaking all previous records in parts of Germany, Poland, France, Spain, to name a few. Here in the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy, it’s been hot, but not dangerously so. There was a stretch of a few weeks in June and July, where it didn’t rain and stayed in the 90’s (30+ C). This doesn’t take into account the heat indexes and humidity, as we are only a very short distance from the sea. Now it’s August and the heat persists….

So what have we been doing during this smoldering summer, apart from being a bit grumpy and taking numerous showers? And how do we manage without air conditioning in our home? To keep our house cool, as many others in Italy, we drop our roll-down shutters. We start dropping them on the sunny side of the house, also keeping the windows tightly closed. As the sun moves, so does this process. We then open the shutters and windows on the shady side, allowing a lot of cross ventilation. We’re able to get air movement and by adding a few fans, we are managing to keep the house comfortable.

These blue beauties came with the house 😉

As far as activities, we try to do anything that requires excursion to happen either early morning or late evening. That could be working around the house, cutting grass, or even taking one of my long treks. Either way, we stay out of the sun midday. Naps after lunch have become a needed and enjoyable break.

Another great option to stay cool is going to the beach. The Adriatic Sea is only 45 minutes from the house and it’s lovely. There is an abundance of clear, clean water, soothing surf and it’s not overly crowded during the week. We chose San Salvo Marina for all of these reasons and for the fact it’s very convenient. Oh, if you want the beach quiet like this below, make sure you get there before August! The month everyone is on vacation in Europe…

And what is Romeo doing to stay cool this summer? If he’s not hanging out with us, in front of a fan on the tile floor, he’s downstairs in ‘his’ cantina. This room was used for storing wine and there actually is some remaining. The walls are thick concrete, making for a cool retreat. It almost feels like it’s air-conditioned. And anytime of the day, he can do a bit of (shallow) swimming in his own private pool. He is the lucky one.

But even with the hot weather, the trails and roads call to me most mornings. My mother’s family was all about getting up before the sun and walking miles. I remember my grandfather, Mom’s dad, would walk early most mornings. Mom continued the tradition. My dad hiked and got me started at an early age. So I am definitely a product of my family. I’m up most days before the sun and head out before the heat becomes overwhelming.

Roccaspinalveti, with its surrounding neighborhoods (fraziones) makes for lovely treks. The roads are quiet, safe and the vistas are breathtaking. Here are a couple of treks I wanted to share with you. Maybe someday you will visit and get a chance to try a few. Until then enjoy them on your computer or phone.

This first trek took me through the frazione San Cristoforo toward Monte Sorbo. I was still a long ways from the mountain top on this trek, but the vistas to and from my turnaround point were expansive. Even though it was early in the morning, I was greeted and invited in for coffee a number of times. I declined regretfully and headed home. (Mileage on this trek is off as I forgot to resume for about a mile. So trek is about 9 miles out and back from our house. )

This next trek took me through a few fraziones to swing into town before I headed back home. A nice surprise was meeting Giuseppe, a shepherd, just on the edge of frazione Fatticce. He has a good size flock, all sheared in June. We chatted a bit about sheep and wool production, and then I continued on my way. As I exited Fatticce and climbed up to the town center, I passed the town cemetery. It was truly a serene and lovely place, and out of respect, I posted just the view from the gated entrance.

Summer here in Rocca is full of lots of fun things to do. Town parties, celebrations, sport activities, excursions, with many centered around food….of course! The calendar really picks up in August. That is the month for most folks to take vacation. The beach has the biggest draw during the hot weather, but that doesn’t stop the towns around here from having something fun for everyone. Here is Rocca’s calendar for this summer. And I am sure that there will be more fun planned for the Fall and Winter months.

And amidst all of this, our holiday rental ‘Casa Serre’ is rocking! We are so truly thankful for the guests we have had to date and those booked for the rest of this month. Locals are referring us to their out-of-town families and friends, and others are just interested in seeing Roccaspinalveti for the first time. What a surprise, as we started the season late with our opening July 1. Most folks have their summers already booked well in advance, so any bookings we get this year, we feel are a gift. And all the 5 star reviews on Airbnb are an added bonus.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer. I know at times, it is difficult to understand this world and we just shake our heads. I believe that is one reason I do this blog. Not only to share our experiences moving here and immersing ourselves, but to share the amazing beauty that can lift your spirits and fill your heart. Best to you all ….ciao for now..

The Majella
Roccavecchia

Congratulazioni

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To my husband! John is now an Italian citizen. He holds dual citizenship – USA & Italia. How did this come about? He married me..smart man.

Here is my disclaimer: This blog is detailed in regards to John’s journey to citizenship and for many, your eyes may roll back in your head out of sheer boredom. Sorry… bear with me. Either continue or wait for my next posting. 😉

As I am from Italian parents on both sides, I was able to follow a line back to my mother’s father and I was recognized as an Italian citizen in March 2017. It is called “jure sanguinis” or JS (by law of the bloodline), and in my case it took me about 2 1/2 years to be officially recognized. There are a number of agencies, sites and Facebook groups that help folks along with this process. My journey wasn’t complicated, as some, just nerve-wracking with all the paperwork. (And for those asking ‘why’ for wanting dual citizenship, here is a helpful link with some top reasons.

Once I was recognized, it was time for John to apply for his dual citizenship through marriage to me – jure matrimoni or JM. You can read about John’s application process while we lived in the USA here. It was a frustrating process, mostly because we had our timing off. We were a bit anxious and rushed the document collecting phase, not anticipating the expiration date on the background checks John had to collect.

John at Philadelphia Consulate August 2017. His online application was submitted July 2017

When we moved to Italy, John had just finished his interview at the Italian consulate in Philadelphia. Everything had been submitted online as well as to their office. Now John had to wait for Rome to get to their part of the process where his application is examined and stamped. Wait time we were told just about 2 years. Little did we know a huge bump in the road would greet us here in our home province of Chieti. I’ll get to that shortly.

Abruzzo, the region we live in, has four provinces: L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara & Chieti. The first year we lived in Italy, we were located in the province of Teramo. I was required to contact the Prefettura (government headquarters), stating that we now both had residency in the Teramo province and give them John’s case number. This transferred the control of John’s application from Philadelphia to Teramo. So to complicate matters, we bought our house in Roccaspinalveti, Chieti province, only a few months after notifying Teramo. I had to contact the Prefettura in Chieti, give Teramo a heads-up and we crossed our fingers that everything would continue as planned with John’s application.

Well, not…. here’s the bump… The Prefect did not understand or believe that I was a citizen from birth. He saw my recognition date of March 2017, and logged that as my official start date of citizenship. Not so for JS, as I mentioned earlier. Having that misinformation, he said John had not been married to a citizen (me) for at least two years (as required) as a resident here in Italy. I scrambled for help as per the Prefettura’s letter, I only had about 2 weeks to make my case. I contacted a lawyer here in Rocca, tapped into online help on a closed citizenship FB page, and Italian owned – US based citizenship business, ItalyMONDO. Oh I also tracked down some help from the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia. Letters were written and expedited, laws quoted, documents acquired. It shook out just in time of the deadline with two actions in our favor:

  • A letter from our attorney here in Roccaspinalveti, stating law: The law n.91 of 5 February 1992 which regulates the matter of citizenship in Italy provides that the acquisition of citizenship occurs automatically BY BIRTH (IUS SANGUINIS)
  • Attestation from Philadelphia via San Salvo – copy of CONS01 by e-mail and a copy of the statement (attestation) that Philadelphia has sent to my ancestral comune (San Salvo) when I was recognized. (Thank you Peter Farina of ItalyMONDO for pointing towards this essential piece of information!)

Providing these documents cleared up the issue and I received a call early March from the Prefettura stating they had what they needed to proceed with John’s application. Whew…. a huge weight off our shoulders.

You may ask what would be the downside to the application being rejected. Well, he would have to start a new application online (substantial fee), collect all his background checks from the US (more money spent and time), meet with the Prefettura, and wait at least 4 years for his citizenship. OH AND! Before all this could happen, he’d have to take an Italian Language test at a level B1 (Intermediate..and word out there it’s very difficult). Our thoughts were just forget about reapplying and he would renew his 5 year Carta di Soggiorno (Visa) when due. Not the solution his heart desired, but a livable one.

About three months to the day from the Prefettura’s call, I received another call from them. My stomach dropped when I saw their number come up on caller ID. What did they want now or what has gone wrong? Absolutely nothing! John was a citizen! We needed to come to Chieti for the taking of the oath ceremony. I was a bit confused, as I listen to the secretary firing away on the phone in Italian, as I thought our mayor would do the ceremony here in our comune. But from what I understood from that call we both had to go to Chieti. Slight misunderstanding…yes, we had to pick up John’s official documents to sign in their presence, but no ceremony. That will take place here in Roccaspinalveti at the comune office. (I’m still slow to understand fast Italian on the phone. I need to see faces and body expressions. lol)

Next stop was the Anagrafe office at our comune. The clerk organized the paperwork, got John to sign a few documents and set John’s oath ceremony for the following Saturday. That brings me to today, Saturday. Not sure why I was nervous… I think it was such a long road between both us working on this for a cumulative 4 1/2 years. And most importantly, just a grand event in our lives. Our mayor read her part of the ceremony, John read his oath, some signatures, pictures and a short celebration at the local bar with everyone. Perfectly Italian…

Was it worth all the work? All the frustrations over the past few years? Absolutely… I leave you with a few pics of the ceremony and a video with John valiantly reading his oath and church bells ringing.. (not necessarily for us, as it was noon, but sure topped off the event!)

The Transformation

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My dear husband mentioned just the other day how he never seems to be without a project. I wince a bit as we didn’t move to Italy to work nonstop on projects. It’s tough when you’re multi-talented. It sounds boastful, but it’s actually true. John is highly skilled in a number of job categories when building or renovating; electrician, plumber, bricklayer, tile layer, just to name a few.

This house isn’t a large project, it just needed some updating. We actually put the main living space on hold as we’re getting the lower apartment ready for guests. From past experience, I knew I had to set some kind of schedule with goals. With that said, I also knew we’d never keep them. Life just has a way of changing what we plan. But we’re adapting and trying to be flexible. Ha, like that’s possible for two seriously OCD folks! We’ve been working since March, on and off (had a vacation thrown in there) and it’s ready! It is now listed on Airbnb, as John madly finished renovating the bathroom today!

Tile tip from John

Save your old masonry drill bits. They come in handy when you’re drilling holes into tiles. Take the old bit in your hand, using a bit that is the same size as the hole to be drilled. Holding the tip slightly away from the surface of the tile, gently tap with hammer on spot to be drilled, just enough to make a mark in the glaze. Then when you drill the hole with the new bit, it will not chip or jump off the mark.

To add some personal touches, John did a lot of finishing of older furniture pieces, and I had fun with bright paint colors. Linens for bathroom and bedrooms came either from IKEA or a hotel website that specializes in everything one could need for a hotel, B&B or agriturismo. I kid John that he is ” the back of the house” and I’m “the front. ”

Oh and during all this crazy work, we actually slipped in our first cooking experience in the middle of our renovation. Big huge thanks to Rina & Angelica of Trattoria La Fonte, here in Serre. Our friend, Alex, and her niece and boyfriend, were our test subjects. Wonderful time, good food to eat and great ideas for the next time. ( You can read about these experiences on our Casa Serre site – https://casaserre.com/what-to-do/workshops-tours/ )

We realize we are a bit late to receive bookings for this season, as most folks have already solidified their travel plans. There is the satisfaction of a job well done and the apartment will keep just fine as we wait for family, friends and guests to arrive in the near future.

I wanted to show you some before and after interior shots. The before shots are from a realty site and are most likely a few years old. This house had been on the market a few years before we purchased it. And as you will see, a wide angle lens was used, as normally the case for listing. I’ll share exterior shots in a future posting. Still working away on those. 😉

Master Bedroom
Kitchen
Den with daybed
Lounge area – double futon
Bathroom

So apart from some wall design applications, we’re pretty much done on the inside. This has all transpired through cold rainy spring and now a unbearable heat wave. The heat wave should be breaking soon and we’ll tackle the outside upgrades to the parking area and patio.

On the non-project side of life, we have some exciting news that relates to life here in Italy. I’m going to share some pics and the experience in my next blog.

Until then, I’ll leave you with some views…I will never get enough…

Montazzoli & Maiella
Predawn walk